In world history, there have been a great number of Empires. The British is only one of the more recent ones and likely the only one you are familiar with coming from a largely English speaking bias. Many in the Anglo-sphere neglect that it was first the Spanish Empire to be described as the "Empire on which the sun never set." Here are a list of recent global empires, most coming directly out of the Age of Exploration:

This is an image of the Spanish Empire at its greatest anachronistic extent:

Also the Portuguese:

The French:

The Japanese:

And lastly the American Empire:

But let me blow your mind a little bit more. By the latter half of the twentieth century, it became apparent that Empires in the traditional land holding sense were becoming too burdensome and costly. A colonial power could no longer senselessly exploit its colony, and was suddenly responsible for its people as well, if it wanted to retain formal possession of the land, which was increasingly difficult in an era of nationalism and human rights.

Why not then find a way to exploit/control a country without ever having to formally own it? You know, unduly influence politics, prop up puppet regimes that are favorable to your own government, and allow your companies to go in and exploit the resources of a country without ever having to care for its people.

Witness the birth of "spheres of influence" and "economic imperialism":

Here are the United States and Soviet Spheres of influence during the Cold War :

Might I now add that we live in a world where Nike and own thousands of sweat shops aka "factories" world wide. Where most of our cheap goods are produced in China, India, Mexico, and other parts of the "developing world" which we do not formally own, but may as well with the amount of leverage that we have in their politics.

So, while the British may have had the day in the 1800's ... the 20th century has truly been an American century. We have more military installations and embassies around the world than any other sovereign nation. The world in an era of globalization is westernizing, leaning to speak English, buying fast food, and incorporating themselves into the "global" market at the expense of local traditions ever day; in many senses Americanizing.

So in conclusion, I would say that the British were not the first and certainly not the last. Because chances are you are living in an empire right now and don't even know it.